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Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas
Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (also known as''' Beauty and the Beast 2') is a 1997 American animated musical direct-to-video Christmas film produced by Walt Disney Television Animation. The film is a midquel to the 1991 film Beauty and the Beast, taking place shortly after the fight with the wolves in the first film. In the film, the Beast forbids Christmas (because his transformation from the Prince occurred during that time of year) until Belle, Cogsworth, Lumiere, Mrs. Potts and Chip convince him that Christmas is a good holiday. The film also shows the time that the enchantress put the spell on the castle in the first film in more detail. It was is the last film in the chronology of Walt Disney's version of 1991 Beauty and the Beast. Plot Belle and the Prince throw a Christmas party for the local villagers at their castle (with many of the servants previously enchanted). Lumiere and Cogsworth argue who brought Christmas back to the castle (both claiming credit for themselves), while Mrs. Potts insists of explaining the true story behind Christmas' return to the castle, while her son Chip listens with eager ears. The film then switches into a lengthy flashback, during the events of the first film right after the Beast saves Belle from a wolf pack. Belle is excited for Christmas but is shocked when the castle servants reveal the Beast has forbidden Christmas from occurring. Belle finds the Beast outside in the snow and offers to teach him ice skating. But inside Maestro Forte, the court composer (transformed into a pipe organ) playing a piece is interrupted by Fife the piccolo's applause. Forte offers Fife a solo in his opera for being his eyes and ears (since he's bolted to the wall), after Fife tells Forte about the master skating with Belle, Forte reveals his position as Beast's confidant and refuses to let Belle take his place, then instructs Fife to ''see the blossoming love wither on the vine. When the Beast and Belle are having fun, Fife then interrupts their skating, causing them to crash into a snow-bank; and when Belle makes a snow angel, the Beast see his angel as a shadow of a monster. He roars, swipes at some snow and storms off inside, leaving Belle and the castle servants alone. Belle decides to throw Christmas, Lumiere and Chip accompanying her to the castle attic where they meet Angelique, one of Lumiere's lovers who objects to the reintroduction of Christmas, due to the Beast's curse occurring on Christmas when he rejected the Enchantress entry into the castle. The Beast consults Forte, who prefers to remain in his new form than being returned to normal, enjoying his manipulation over the Beast's anger. The Beast confronts Belle in the castle's boiler room, but they come to blows over their argument over Christmas. Belle eventually meets Forte, who advises her to venture into the deepest part of the forest to cut down a giant Christmas tree. However, Belle finds the tree is near impossible to cut down and eventually falls under a sheet of ice. The Beast learns what has happened and goes to rescue her with Lumiere, Cogsworth, Fife and carpenter Axe. However, knowing she was planning Christmas against his wishes, he imprisons Belle in the dungeons. The servants visit Belle, Angelique apologizing for her sarcastic attitude. The Beast finds a present, a storybook, from Belle and reads it. Moved by the book's words, the Beast has a change of heart and frees Belle, offering to celebrate Christmas after all. Forte is furious and uses his music in an attempt to destroy the castle. The Beast confronts Forte, but is overwhelmed by his music. Fife points out Forte's keyboard is his weak point, the Beast tossing it at Forte who collapses and dies. Belle, the Beast and the servants celebrate Christmas together. The film ends at the party, with Prince taking Belle aside and giving her a rose as a Christmas present. Cast * Paige O'Hara as Belle * Robby Benson as The Beast * Jerry Orbach as Lumiere * David Ogden Stiers as Cogsworth * Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Potts * Haley Joel Osment as Chip (sung by Andrew Keenan-Bolger) * Bernadette Peters as Angelique * Tim Curry as Forte * Paul Reubens as Fife * Frank Welker as Phillippe the Horse and Sultan * Jeff Bennett as Axe * Kath Soucie as The Enchantress * Additional voices: Bob Bergen, Rodger Bumpass, Jim Cummings, Jennifer Darling, Debi Derryberry, Bill Farmer, Sherry Lynn, Mickie McGowan & Phil Proctor Songs * Deck the Halls (performed by Angela Lansbury, David Ogden Stiers, Jerry Orbach and Bernadette Peters) * Stories (performed by Paige O'Hara) * As Long Aa There's Christmas (performed by Paige O'Hara, Jerry Orbach, David Ogden Stiers, Angela Lansbury, Andrew Keenan-Bolger and Bernadette Peters) * Don't Fall in Love (performed by Tim Curry) * As Long As There's Christmas Reprise (performed by Paige O'Hara and Bernadette Peters) * A Cut Above the Rest (performed by Jerry Orbach, David Ogden Stiers and Paige O'Hara) * As Long As There's Christmas End Title (performed by Roberta Flack and Peabo Bryson) * Deck the Halls Traditional Carol (hummed by Robby Benson) * Chorus: Judith Blazer, Jeff Blumenkrantz, Bill Cantos, Victoria Clark, Kevin Dorsey, Gregg Edelman, Judy Kaye, Rebecca Luker, Howard McGillin, Gene Miller, Lauren Mitchell, Bobbi Page, Wilbur Pauley, Andrea Robinson, Sharon Scruggs, Ted Sperling, Carmen Twillie, Martin Vidnovic, Maxine Waters Willard and Oren Waters Production In the early stages of production, the film was going to be a sequel of the original film. The film was to feature Avenant, here depicted as Gaston's younger brother, as the villain. Avenant's goal was to avenge Gaston by ruining the lives of Belle and the Prince and threatening to kill them, reportedly using sorcery to transform the Prince back into a beast and frame Belle for it. Although he was cut out of the story and the plot had changed, this trait was given to Forte, the pipe organ, who did not want the Beast to become human again. This plot was inspired by the 1946 film, which inspired the first film and where Avenant was the villain and inspiration for Gaston. International releases * Canada: November 11, 1997 * United States: November 11, 1997 * United Kingdom: December 17, 1997 * France: September 9, 1998 * Hungary: November 3, 1998 * Japan: November 13, 1998 * Brazil: November 18, 1998 * Sweden: November 24, 1998 * Finland: November 25, 1998 * Portugal: December 1998 * Germany: December 4, 1998 * Greece: November 22, 1999 * Czech Republic: January 13, 2003 * Norway: November 19, 2003 International titles * Brazil: A Bela e a Fera: O Natal Encantado * Bulgaria: ? * Canada: La Belle et la Bete: Un Noel enchanté * Croatia: Ljepotica i zvijer: Bozicna carolija * Czech Republic: Kráska a zvíre: Kouzelné vánoce * Denmark: Skønheden og udyret - Den fortryllede jul * Finland: Kaunotar ja hirviö: Lumottu joulu * France: La Belle et la Bete 2 - Le Noel enchanté * Germany: Die Schöne und das Biest: Weihnachtszauber * Greece: I pentamorfi kai to teras 2: Ta magemena Hristougenna * Hungary: A Szépség és a Szörnyeteg: Varázslatos karácsony * Italy: La bella e la bestia - Un magico Natale * Japan: 美女と野獣 ベルの素敵なプレゼント (Bijo to yaju Beru no sutekina purezento) (Beauty and the Beast: A lovely gift for Belle) * Mexico, Spain: La bella y la bestia: Una Navidad encantada * Netherlands: Belle en het Beest: Een Betoverend Kerstfeest * Norway: Skjønnheten og Udyret - Forhekset jul * Poland: Piekna i bestia: Zaczarowane swieta * Portugal: A Bela e o Monstro: O Natal Encantado * Russia: ? * Serbia: Lepotica i zver - Carobni Bozic * Sweden: Skönheten och odjuret - Den förtrollade julen * Turkey: Guzel ve cirkin: Sihirli yilbasi Trivia * Angela Lansbury and Bernadette Peters would later go on to work on Don Bluth’s Anastasia (1997). They recorded their dialouge for the two films during the same time period as this film although for different studios (Disney and 20th Century Fox, respectively). * The only two actors who did not reprise their roles from Beauty and the Beast (1991) were Hal Smith (Phillipe) and Bradley Pierce (Chip). Smith, who passed away in 1994, was replaced by Frank Welker while Pierce’s role was taken over by Haley Joel Osment because Pierce’s voice had changed due to growing older. * While Belle is singing during the ”Stories” sequence, an image of Belle and the Beast flying together in the sky on a magic carpet can be seen. This is a nod to Disney’s Aladdin. * The first product made in Walt Disney Television Animation’s Canada Studio which was later shut down in 2002 because of cutbacks. * Tim Curry and Bernadette Peters reunite (vocally), 15 years later, in this film, after previously appearing as boyfriend/girlfriend in 1982’s ”Annie” movie musical adaptation. * At the beginning of the song ”As long as there’s christmas”, the first bit of music and the way the snowflakes swirl through the room is similar to Pocahontas (1995)’s ”Colors of the Wind” when the leaves twirl through her hair and the music is the same. * One of the songs, ”Stories”, is heavily based on the motif in the third movement (Allegro molto) of Jean Sibelius’s Symphony No. 5 in E-flat. * The storybook that Belle gives to the Beast as a present, is written in the French language. International dubs For information about international dubs and releases, Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas/International. Category:American musical films Category:Films produced by Lori Forte Category:Films produced by John C. Donkin Category:Films directed by Andy Knight Category:Film scores by Rachel Portman Category:American sequel films Category:Disney direct-to-video films Category:Direct-to-video sequel films Category:DisneyToons Studios animated films Category:Disney Princess Category:Walt Disney Television Animation Category:1997 films Category:1990s American animated films Category:Walt Disney Animation Canada Category:Walt Disney Animation Australia